Hope & Faith
by LisaMichelle25
Summary: Being a mother was a dream that Skye had always wanted for herself while being able to be the loving and caring mother to her own child that she had never had growing up. But unfortunately for Skye she'd learned the hard way that you don't always get what you dream about at night because now she was left holding not one, but two babies, and their father was nowhere to be found.
1. Hope & Faith

**This is something I started writing when the new promos for S2 started coming out. I know the actual show will never go the way I've written this little 3 shot fic for SkyeWard, as it's completely an AU and an angsty one at that. I'm not sorry, for anything, at all. So, harden your heart and enjoy, because that's all I'm saying. **

**The only other thing I'll say is this is a 3 shot fic which I've written out and completed and will be finished before S2 starts on Tuesday. So at that chapter 2 will be posted on Saturday and chapter 3 on Sunday. That's if ya'll are interested of course so feel free to let me know! :)**

**Also, blame Chloe Bennet for constantly wanting them to have twins because now that's all I think about too...and that cover pic you see for this story? Yeah, let's pretend that's said twins for this little fic. xD**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or any of the characters. It would be super cool if I did, but I don't. However, I do own my OC's of Hope Ward and Faith Ward.**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Hope &amp; Faith**

Being a mother was a dream that Skye had always wanted for herself one day.

Going home after a long day at work and having her children run into her arms as happy as can be to see her was something she one day looked forward too.

Being able to be the loving and caring mother to her own children that she herself had never had growing up was something she'd always wanted for her future.

She didn't dream of white picket fences, a big back garden and the perfect happy ever after ending that the movies always portrayed. But she did dream of being happy, married to the man of her dreams and with at least two children for them to completely dote on and spoil for the rest of their lives.

But unfortunately for Skye she'd learned the hard way that you don't always get what you dream about at night.

Because in Skye's dreams not once did she ever dream that she would end up working for a secret government organization, falling irrevocably in love with her Supervising Officer and fellow teammate, only to then be betrayed by him in more ways than she no longer even wanted to think about.

Life can be cruel and that's something Skye had always known.

But she never thought that life would be so cruel to leave her holding not just one, but two babies, while their father was no longer around due to being incarcerated for the many crimes he'd committed against S.H.I.E.L.D. for HYDRA.

And yet that's exactly what had happened to Skye.

The more she thought about it the more she couldn't really blame anyone or anything but herself for the situation she'd found herself in. Because no one had forced Skye to sneak down to the holding cell located deep underground of The Playground base one night to unleash all of her anger out upon the man that had broken her heart. Skye had gone more than willingly after everyone had fallen asleep and confronted him. She'd bided her time long enough over the months since his betrayal for his fractured larynx to heal so he could answer all of her questions she had for him. But his answers had left her more annoyed and irritated with him than ever before. Because it was the same story over and over again...

"_It wasn't personal." _

"_I was on a mission."_

"_I never meant to hurt you."_

"_My feelings for you...they're real, Skye. They always have been."_

"_I owed Garrett everything."_

He was like a broken record stuck on constant repeat, which had been something she'd screamed at him as she'd slapped him hard across his face. And he'd took the slap, barely even flinching at the time, yet looking more heartbroken than ever.

And it had been that heartbroken look across his face that had all but shattered what was left of Skye's already broken heart. A look that had been responsible for Skye breaking down in tears as she'd flung herself into his arms and kissed him as if her whole life had depended on it. And he'd kissed her back just the same, despite knowing he shouldn't because of where it could so easily lead too. But he didn't stop it and neither did Skye. Because in that moment it had been what they had both needed more than anything.

It had been a kiss that had quickly led to the two of them frantically ripping the clothes from each other's bodies in order to become even closer. A kiss that had then led to Skye flat on her back on the tiny cot in Grant Ward's cell as he'd took her right then and there and made her his with such ferocity and pent up sexual desire her head had spun. And despite knowing deep down it should never have happened she hadn't regretted it, even if she'd told him afterwards that she did, as she'd wanted to hurt him at the time, with the look on his face telling her she'd succeeded.

Afterwards they'd gotten dressed in silence with Skye immediately running from the room, unable to look at him any longer for fear her heart would betray her once more. Her speedy exit had prevented her from seeing Ward fall back onto his bed, face buried in his hands and his ever so silent _'I love you, Skye...' _being unheard and lost to the padded walls of his cell forever.

And it had been that careless and unprotected night spent with Ward that had led to Skye being in the situation that she was now faced with. And that situation was lying back in her hospital bed a little over 6 months later with two gorgeous baby girls cradled into the crook of her arms in tiny little pink blankets.

Skye was finally a mother like she'd one day dreamed of being and to twin girls no less, something she'd definitely never dreamed of happening to her. Life had blessed her with two precious little angels, despite who their father was or how they'd been conceived, she'd been blessed and loved them instantly the moment she'd found out they were on their way.

Simmons had been the one to confirm Skye's pregnancy with twins, looking at her with disdain afterwards upon learning of who their father was and the circumstances of their conception.

May had barely said a word to Skye upon finding out, merely offering her what Skye knew were forced congratulations while she'd not even tried to hide her disappointment in her.

Coulson had taken the news slightly better than May and Simmons had, though he'd still failed to hide his own disappointment in her. But regardless he'd promised her he'd be there for her however she needed him.

Fitz uttered no words of disappointment or congratulations when Skye had told him. But then it hadn't been his fault, since he'd been in a coma at the time, and therefore couldn't say or do anything.

And then there was Tripp, who Skye had told last. He'd been the one to surprise her the most with his reaction, as he'd simply smiled a warm smile at her, pulled her into his arms for a hug, kissed the top of her head tenderly and proceeded to tell her how much of an amazing mother she was going to be and he'd be right there by her side telling her every single day if she ever came to doubt herself. And then he'd held her tightly, tears streaming down her face, as she completely crumbled and broke down until she'd cried herself to sleep in his arms.

* * *

Throughout the next 6 months Skye's pregnancy continued to progress more and more, as it flew by quicker than she was ready for.

When it came to Ward he never even knew that Skye was pregnant or that he was to become a father to not one, but two little girls in only a few short months. At first Skye had chosen not to tell him while she slowly processed and got used to the fact that she was pregnant with his daughters and was going to be a mother. And then when she was a little over 4 and a half months pregnant she'd finally decided that he needed to know, even if he couldn't be a part of their lives, he needed to know regardless.

But unfortunately for Skye she never got the chance to tell him due to finding out that Coulson, who was now the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., had removed Ward from his cell after finding out Skye was pregnant and had promptly refused to tell her where he'd sent him, instead saying over and over again that the babies were better off without him as their father, which May had agreed with and backed him up on.

After that Skye's constant begs and pleas of being allowed to see Ward again had fallen on deaf ears and had gone completely ignored by Coulson, May and even Simmons, who had been more focused on attending to Fitz while waiting for him to wake up. The only one that had remained on Skye's side and supported her throughout her decision in letting Ward know she was carrying his daughters had been Tripp, who'd fast become her rock throughout her pregnancy. Night after night she'd break down into Tripp's arms and cry herself to sleep, crying out for Ward as she did so, while all Tripp could do was cradle her to his chest and comfort her to the best of his ability.

Seeing Skye constantly break down in his arms night after night as she screamed for Ward had prompted Tripp to one day angrily confront Coulson and May in keeping her from him. It had quickly escalated into a screaming match between the three of them, only ending after Tripp had angrily yelled at the both of them _"WHERE IS YOUR COMPASSION?! WHERE IS YOUR GODDAMN HUMANITY?!", _before he'd then abruptly turned away and stormed from the room before they could answer him. But ultimately his confrontation had proved fruitless, because they still refused to tell Skye where Ward had been moved too, while making all of her attempts at hacking into anything and everything for the information to be constantly met with nothing but dead end upon dead end.

So Skye simply resigned herself to never seeing Ward again or being able to tell him he was going to be a father.

Throughout everything Tripp was her constant support system, as he was always there for her whenever she needed him.

After awhile Simmons finally forgave Skye for "_sleeping with the enemy", _as she'd put it one day, and from then on out continued to help support Skye however she needed it along with Tripp.

But when it came to Coulson and May they were far more distant, as they'd constantly look at her with nothing but disappointment in their eyes over the situation she'd found herself in.

Because life was cruel and that was something Skye had always known. Yet she'd never in her wildest dreams imagined it could be as cruel to her as it had soon proved it could be, as it had sent her into premature labour only a few days after hitting the 6th month mark of her pregnancy.

HYDRA, now being led by a man called Daniel Whitehall, had managed to infiltrate The Playground and launched a vicious attack on all that had resided there in his attempts to get to Director Coulson. As the fight had raged on Skye had been caught in the ensuing crossfire while trying to get to safety with Simmons, only to be apprehended by HYDRA agents that had taken great pleasure in violently throwing her down a flight of stairs upon realising she was heavily pregnant.

Skye had then quickly been rushed to the nearest hospital after Tripp and May had taken down the agents responsible for her fall. Once she'd arrived at the hospital her labour and delivery of her babies had progressed quickly with her waters breaking not long after arriving. And then before she'd even had time to properly prepare herself let alone demand any form of pain relief Skye was screaming the entire hospital down, as she did her best to bring her daughters into the world safely with Tripp and Simmons by her side, holding her hands tightly in their own and offering her words of encouragement throughout, while Coulson and May had been forced to wait in the waiting room after Skye had chosen to instead have Tripp and Simmons be the ones by her side and not them, since even during her labour they had refused to tell her where Ward was.

* * *

Skye's labour had passed her by in a blur, as she'd delivered her twins relatively quickly and only 6 minutes apart, while screaming and crying out for Ward the entire time. And then before she knew it she was finally a mother and had fallen instantly in love with her newborn daughters, who she didn't fail to notice were the spitting image of their absentee father and completely identical.

But Skye's happiness had been short lived when her daughters had been taken from her and whisked away by the doctors and nurses for countless tests to check they were alright.

After spending over 3 hours apart from her daughters they were finally returned to her loving arms where she now lay with them cradled to her chest. They'd thankfully come back healthy despite a few breathing difficulties to begin with that had eventually subsided and much to Skye's relief. Yet now all she could do was cradle her tiny newborn daughters after finally being left alone to spend some quality time with them once her fellow teammates had gotten their fair share of cuddles in, even Coulson and May, who Skye had chosen to forgive for still keeping Ward from her for the time being and allowed them to cuddle the tiny bundles of joy who she knew despite everything they saw as both of their granddaughters.

As Skye cuddled and cooed over her newborn daughters she silently weeped for their father, who despite his many faults and past crimes, she now wanted more than ever. Though deep down she knew she'd probably never see him again. But regardless she continued to have hope that she would one day see the man she would always love once more, and that no matter what she would always have faith that life would be kind to her again and allow her daughters to meet their father.

And it was with Skye's combined hope and faith that everything would one day be better again that her daughters got their names.

Smiling tenderly down at her sleeping daughter nestled contently in her left arm Skye sighed. "Welcome to the world, Hope Ward." Turning her head to the right of her she then smiled down tenderly at her other sleeping daughter nestled contently in her right arm, once again sighing as she did so. "Welcome to the world, Faith Ward."


	2. You Are, Ward

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favourited &amp; followed this fic, as it means a lot to me knowing you enjoyed it! :) Here's hoping you enjoy this second and longer chapter just as much! :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or any of the characters. It would be super cool if I did, but I don't. However, I do own my OC's of Hope Ward and Faith Ward.**

* * *

**Chapter 2: You Are, Ward**

Unknown to Skye or anyone else Tripp had secretly managed to track down and locate where Coulson had sent Ward after Skye had revealed her pregnancy. It had taken him awhile but he'd been determined to do it for Skye. He could barely take her breaking down night after night into his arms while she cried out for Ward, as all he'd wanted to do every time that she did was just take her to Ward who should be the one comforting her when she needed him the most. But he couldn't. Because no one knew where he was. No one but Coulson and May who were about as useful as a sack of potatoes in revealing where they'd sent Ward.

But eventually his relentless searching had finally paid off a little over 3 days after Skye had given birth to twin girls. He'd finally found out that Ward was being held at another secret base not too far from The Playground. The entire time he'd been merely an hour away from everyone. And that had angered Tripp more than anything else that Coulson and May had known all along that he was closer than anyone thought, as they'd left Skye to break down more times than he could count. All she'd done for the last few months had cry out for Ward while begging Coulson and May to allow her to see him just once, only to be told he'd been sent far, far away and would never be back. Coulson and May were in for one hell of a showdown on compassion, morals and humanity when Tripp saw them again.

However, now was the time for Ward to get the ultimate shock of his entire life...

* * *

"Get up! Now!" said Tripp sternly, as he barged into Ward's cell without warning.

"Tripp?" said Ward, furrowing his brows, as he slowly rose from his tiny bed and stood to his feet. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm breaking your ass outta here for the next 2 hours because that's all the time you have until Coulson and May find out what I'm doing" replied Tripp. "Hands up. I got a key for those cuffs."

"What do you mean you're breaking me out of here for 2 hours?" asked Ward curiously, as he held his cuffed hands out towards Tripp, who instantly whipped out the key and unlocked them. "Where did you get the key?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out" said Tripp, as he tossed the handcuffs to the side and strided towards the door. "As for the key I ICED the guards on my way in here and stole it from one of them, so a little thanks would be nice."

"Thank you" said Ward, slightly confused, as he followed Tripp towards the door. "But I still don't get why you'd risk everything that you're risking to break me out of here for only 2 hours."

"I'm not doing it for you" said Tripp, glancing back at him. "I'm doing it for Skye."

"Skye? Is she okay? Did something happen to her?!" asked Ward, panicked.

"Yeah, something happened alright" sighed Tripp. "You broke her heart and I've been picking up the pieces ever since."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Ward, as he clenched his fists tightly at his sides. "Is there something going on between you and Skye?"

"Damn, you jump to conclusions quickly..." sighed Tripp, rolling his eyes, as he turned and walked out of the room. "...and don't think for one single second that I don't see those clenched fists of yours, Ward."

"Just answer my question" grunted Ward, as he ran to catch Tripp up.

"No. Okay? There's nothing going on between me and Skye" said Tripp with a shake of his head. "Skye is like a sister to me and that's all she'll ever be. I've been there for her the past 6 months when no one else would. And seeing her going through what she's been going through lately has broken my heart."

"What happened, Tripp?" asked Ward worriedly. "Skye is okay, right?"

"Yeah, physically she's fine" said Tripp, avoiding Ward's gaze while stepping around all of the guards he'd ICED to get to his cell. "Emotionally not so much."

"What do you mean by that exactly?" asked Ward, also stepping around the countless ICED guards while still in disbelief that Tripp had actually gone to this much trouble to get to him.

"You messed her up emotionally that night you both had sex and you know it" said Tripp, as he walked out of the building and headed for his car. "Don't try to deny it either. Everyone on the team knows as Skye told us."

"I'm not denying anything" said Ward, as he continued to follow after Tripp. "I know everyone knows because it's the reason I was transferred to where you just sprung me from by Coulson on Skye's orders. He told me she hated me, never wanted to see me again and wanted me as far away from her as possible."

"Coulson lied to you" said Tripp, as he stopped to face him. "Skye's been begging him to let her see you for the past couple of months now. Every time he and May have refused to tell her where you are she's broken down in my arms afterwards and done nothing but cry and scream for you."

"Why would Coulson do that to Skye?" asked Ward, confused, while his heart lurched at the thought of Skye still wanting to see him just as badly as he did her. "I understand why May would, but not Coulson."

"You'll see soon enough and it's gonna shock you so start getting prepared for the shock of your life" said Tripp, narrowing his eyes. "I can trust you not to run in the meantime, right? I took the cuffs off you hoping that it'd prove to you that you can trust me. I swear to you, Ward, I'm taking you to Skye because she really needs you right now."

"You have my word that I won't run" said Ward honestly. "If I ever did it would be straight to Skye so if you're taking me to her then there's no point in me running."

"Good to know" said Tripp, as he walked over to his car and slid into the driver's seat. "Now get in before my common sense finally decides to kick in and tell me this was a really bad idea."

"It's been a really bad idea since the moment you ICED the first security guard" chuckled Ward, as he slid into the passenger seat.

"At least I only ICED them" said Tripp, glaring at Ward while starting the engine. "You probably would have shot them to death."

"I deserved that" sighed Ward, as he turned away from Tripp to look out of the window.

"Yeah, you did" said Tripp, sighing also. "But I'm sorry I said it. It was harsh. I didn't come here to bash you."

"Don't sweat it" sighed Ward. "I've had a lot worse said to me."

Tripp simply remained silent that time while driving the car away.

* * *

"Shhh, sweetie, shhh" cooed Skye soothingly, as she gently rocked Faith in her arms. "You're going to wake your sister up and mummy just got her down for a nap. Now it's your turn."

"One of them acting up already?" chuckled Tripp, as he entered the room with a smile and walked over towards Skye. "Just like her mama."

"Oh, hush!" scowled Skye, as she promptly handed Faith to Tripp. "Please soothe your niece! I've barely gotten any sleep since they were born 3 days ago and I'm absolutely exhausted!"

"I'll do my best, baby girl, but even if I do get her to sleep you aren't going to nap anytime soon" said Tripp, as he bounced Faith up and down in his arms gently. "Because I brought you and the girls a present."

"It seriously can't wait until we've all had a nap?!" groaned Skye.

"You tell me..." said Tripp, trailing off momentarily to call out towards the door. "...you can come in now!"

And with that Grant Ward casually strode into the room, closing the door behind him, before coming to a complete and utter standstill at the bottom of Skye's bed, as he allowed his eyes to settle upon her.

"Ward?!" exclaimed Skye, her heart immediately beginning to pound rapidly, as she then turned and glared at Tripp. "What the hell, Tripp?!"

"I managed to track him down so I sprung him from his jail cell and brought him here" shrugged Tripp, as he continued to happily bounce Faith up and down in his arms. "You guys really need to talk."

Skye just looked dumbfounded while glancing from Tripp to Ward, waving at him a little weakly. "Umm, hey there, sooo, uhh, long time no see and all."

"Smooth, Skye, smooth" snorted Tripp, ignoring the glare she flashed his way.

Ward tried and failed to answer Skye due to now being completely frozen on the spot. He could barely think straight at the moment let alone form any coherent words to speak. Because all he found himself able to currently do was stare wide eyed at the little pink bundle that Tripp was now rocking back and forth in his arms, along with the other tiny pink bundle that he could clearly make out in the tiny hospital crib beside Skye's bed.

"Say something, Ward" said Skye encouragingly. "I don't care what it is. Just say something, anything, because I can't take the silence any longer."

"Are they yours?" asked Ward dumbly, as he indicated towards both babies.

"Yes" replied Skye simply.

"Who's the father?" asked Ward quietly, as he braced himself for her answer.

"You are, Ward" replied Skye, as she bit down harshly on her bottom lip.

"No, no, no..." said Ward, shaking his head back and forth, as he slowly started backing towards the door. "...they can't be mine!"

"I swear to God, man, if you even so much as try to bolt outta that damn door I will ICE your ass so badly you'll never sit down again!" said Tripp sternly, as he proceeded to watch Ward like a hawk. "I didn't bring you here to bolt away from your responsibilities!"

"Skye, they can't be mine..." said Ward, trailing off to cast his eyes back towards the baby Tripp held in his arms. "...they just can't be."

"I hate to break it to you but yes they can be and guess what?! They are yours, Ward!" said Skye angrily, as she scrambled off the bed to storm towards him. "Or don't you remember our angry, angsty and unprotected sex we had over 6 months ago now?!"

"Of course I do!" said Ward, his voice now slightly raised to match her own. "But last time I checked women are generally pregnant for 9 months and not 6!"

"You need to re-educate yourself because twins are generally born early" said Skye, as she folded her arms across her chest crossly. "And especially when you're thrown down a flight of stairs by HYDRA agents who specifically tell you before they push you that they hope you land on your stomach and lose what's inside!"

"Oh, God..." said Ward, trailing off, as he suddenly felt as if he was going to throw up at the thought of someone being so cruel and heartless to do that to her and while she was pregnant.

"They survived, okay?" said Skye, as she tentatively reached out to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Because just like their daddy they're survivors."

"If I remember correctly back to when I said I was a survivor you didn't exactly agree that I was and instead said I was more of a serial killer" chuckled Ward softly.

"Because you were and you still are" said Skye meekly. "But let's not go there because I'm more than likely to head butt you again."

"How did they survive though? Shouldn't they be in incubators with tubes attached to them or something for being so premature?" asked Ward, relief washing over him that they were okay but wondering how it was even possible.

"Technically they should be while needing a lot of care and attention. But they aren't like other babies" said Skye, as she locked her eyes with his. "Believe it or not but they have traces of the GH-325 drug in their bloodstream courtesy of me passing it down to them while I was pregnant, since it still lingers in my own bloodstream. They were born with breathing difficulties due to complications arising but the drug healed them just like it healed me after I was shot way back when and nearly died."

"Of course that drug is responsible" sighed Ward, as he ran a shaky hand through his hair. "I'm glad it helped them but it's not a good thing for them to have that drug in their bloodstream, Skye."

"There's nothing we can do about it" sighed Skye. "It still runs through me and I passed it down to them. I wish I hadn't. But then I guess it's better than them being hooked up to monitors with countless tubes attached to them. They still need a lot of care though, but at least I get to hold them because generally I wouldn't be able to."

"I guess so" said Ward, as he swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat before glancing back over towards the babies. "So...they really are mine?"

"They really are" nodded Skye, smiling softly at him.

"Why didn't you tell me when you found out?" asked Ward sadly. "Why wait until now?"

"I was angry with you, Ward! You betrayed everyone, you broke my heart and then you got me knocked up!" exclaimed Skye. "I didn't think you deserved to know at first. But I changed my mind after a couple of months."

"So why didn't you tell me then?" asked Ward, quirking a brow at her.

"Because Coulson and May refused to tell me where they'd sent you" replied Skye, sighing. "Coulson moved you from The Playground after I revealed I was pregnant. I didn't know he'd done that. I only found out when I decided I wanted you to know about the twins. But it was too late and he's refused to tell me where you've been ever since. May's backed him up the whole time."

"Why doesn't that surprise me with her?" said Ward, as he clenched his fists into balls tightly at his sides and gritted his teeth angrily. "Coulson told me that it was you who wanted me removed from The Playground and sent away for good so you'd never have to see me again."

"And like I told you..." said Tripp from where he stood not far from them, trailing off momentarily to shift Faith in his arms when she slowly started to stir and fuss once more. "...Coulson lied to you."

"Yeah, I see that now" said Ward, as he settled his eyes on the baby in Tripp's arms, before casting them back towards Skye and indicating towards the baby. "She's a girl?"

Skye just snorted while laughing. "Yes, Ward, she's a girl, as pink blankets generally indicate the baby is a girl. They're both girls."

"I have two girls..." said Ward, trailing off to smile proudly. "...I have two girls."

"Would you like to hold one?" asked Skye, smiling.

"Can I?" asked Ward, beaming at the thought. "You wouldn't mind?"

"Of course I wouldn't mind" said Skye, taking her daughter from Tripp's arms and turning back to face Ward. "You're allowed to hold your own daughters, Ward."

"I don't deserve to be a father after everything that I've done" said Ward regretfully.

"Well too bad" said Skye, as she gently placed their daughter into his arms. "Because you are one."

"Oh, boy..." said Ward, as he smiled down at the tiny bundle in his arms who he instantly cradled to his chest protectively. "...hey there, little one. I, uhh, I don't know your name."

"Her name is Faith" smiled Skye, locking her eyes with his when he glanced at her. "I always had faith that one day you'd get to meet them. So I named her Faith, as corny as it now sounds."

"It's not corny at all" smiled Ward. "It's a great name, Skye. I love it."

"I'm glad. Because I also held out hope that one day I'd see you again, hence..." said Skye, trailing off, as she pointed towards their other daughter who was still sound asleep in her hospital crib.

"Hope?" said Ward, smiling widely. "I love that name too. You picked really good names."

"It's also kinda because they were born early and I clung to my hope and faith that they'd be okay" said Skye, smiling.

"Are they really okay?" asked Ward, worry clearly evident in his tone, as he gently rocked his daughter in his arms.

"Yes, they are, so don't worry" smiled Skye.

"Okay, good" nodded Ward, smiling down at his daughter staring inquisitively up at him. "How far apart are they?"

"A little over 6 minutes" replied Skye. "Hope was born first and Faith second."

"Dare I ask how the labour went without being hit?" asked Ward tentatively.

"You're safe from being hit when our daughter is in your arms" laughed Skye. "But to answer your question then the labour was agonising. I had a natural birth, completely drug free since there wasn't any time after I'd arrived at the hospital and they were born not long after. So it went by relatively quickly, but it still hurt like hell. I swear I'm done now though as two is all I'm ever having!"

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you, Skye" said Ward sadly. "I should have been and I'm so sorry."

"It wasn't your fault so don't apologise. I would have let you be there if Coulson and May would've just told me where you were" said Skye, frowning. "Tripp and Jemma were with me throughout."

"Not Coulson and May?" asked Ward, brow quirked.

"No. I only wanted Tripp and Jemma there" replied Skye, teary eyed. "Though I cried and screamed for you the whole time."

"I would've done anything to have been there, Skye" said Ward, a few tears of his own forming behind his eyes, as he slowly stepped towards her and tugged her into his free arm that wasn't cradling their daughter. "I'm so, so, so sorry for everything that I've done."

"Why did you have to betray everyone?! Why did you have to betray me?!" cried Skye, as she buried her face into his chest. "We could've been a family together, Ward!"

"I can't say sorry enough, Skye" said Ward, as he did his best to hold back his own slowly building tears. "I've never regretted anything so much in my life. If I could take everything back then I would. But I can't and I'll be living with the consequences of what I've done for the rest of my life."

Before Skye could reply again a loud cry was suddenly heard from behind Tripp.

"Oooh, is a certain little Madame waking up now too?!" cooed Tripp, as he gently lifted Hope from her hospital crib and into his arms.

"She's probably hungry" said Skye, sniffling and wiping her tears away with the back of her hand, as she slowly pulled away from Ward. "The midwife said they'd need fed every couple of hours."

"Nah, I think she just wants to meet her daddy like her sister has" said Tripp, as he closed the distance between himself and Ward with a smile. "Wanna see if you can soothe her?"

"Umm, sure..." said Ward, shifting Faith in his arms. "...uhh, I'm afraid that I'll drop one if I hold them both."

"I'll take Faith while you hold Hope" said Skye, as she slowly took her daughter from Ward's arms after he'd placed a loving kiss atop her tiny forehead.

"Hey there, Hope" said Ward softly, as he smiled down at his eldest daughter that he now held in his arms, who was doing a lot of squirming about. "Shhh, Hope, shhh."

"He's a natural" whispered Tripp to Skye, as they both watched Ward happily bounce his fussing daughter up and down in his arms.

"I knew he would be" whispered Skye back, smiling proudly.

"Hey now, no trying to kick daddy" chuckled Ward, as his daughter thrashed her little legs about. "There's a good girl. Because you wanna be a good girl for daddy don't you? Hmm?"

Upon hearing his soothing voice Hope instantly stopped thrashing her legs about and nestled against his chest contently, her eyelids soon beginning to flutter closed once more.

"I'm gonna leave you two alone, okay?" said Tripp, kissing Skye tenderly on her forehead, before heading towards the door. "You've got about an hour together before the others return to the hospital and that's only if they don't find out I broke Ward out of his jail cell until then."

"Thank you, Tripp" said Skye, smiling a small smile at him. "You risked so much in bringing Ward here and allowing him the chance to meet Hope and Faith. The four of us owe you everything."

"You don't owe me anything, Skye. I just wanted to see you happy and for you to be able to smile again. So just be happy and smile as much as you can for as long as you've got left with him, okay?" said Tripp, smiling and nodding at her before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

"Can I hold Faith again?" asked Ward once Tripp had left the room. "I want to hold them both as much as I can while I've still time."

"Yeah, of course" smiled Skye, her breath hitching in her throat slightly. "Why don't you lie on the bed with me? It's a lot easier to hold them both when you're lying down and propped up against the pillows for support."

"Okay. I'd like that" nodded Ward, as he slowly walked over towards the bed and ever so carefully lay back, propping himself up against the pillows as he did so, while holding onto Hope securely in his arms the whole time.

Skye smiled at him as she lay down beside him and also propped herself up against the pillows, as she then ever so carefully placed Faith into the crook of his free arm.

"They're so beautiful, Skye" said Ward, as a small sob escaped him. "I can't believe how much I love them already."

"I've heard many people tell me that the love you feel for your child is unconditional the moment he or she is placed into your arms for the very first time" smiled Skye, sighing contently. "And it's true. I felt it as soon as I held them. Just like you are now."

"What are their middle names?" asked Ward, sniffling a little, as he changed the subject before he broke down completely. "And last name? I'm just curious."

"Ward is their last name" smiled Skye. "What else would it be? I don't have a surname to give them at the end of the day so I gave them yours."

"I guess I just figured that Coulson or May, especially Coulson, would've won the surname war" said Ward with a small eye roll.

"They both offered their surnames and Tripp even offered his" said Skye. "But I didn't even have to think about it. I knew before they were even born that their surnames were going to be Ward."

"Thank you, Skye, as that means a lot to me" smiled Ward warmly. "So how about their middle names then?"

"They don't have middle names yet" said Skye, frowning. "I haven't thought about middle names until now. Why don't you choose them?"

"You want me to pick their middle names?" asked Ward incredulously. "You'd actually let me do that?"

"You're their father, Ward, so you should probably get some input when it comes to their names" smiled Skye softly. "Go ahead and give it a shot."

"Okay..." said Ward, trailing off to think, while smiling down at his sleeping daughters all cuddled up to his chest for inspiration. "...I've always quite liked the name Chloe for a girl. So how about Hope Chloe?"

"Chloe is such a pretty name!" beamed Skye. "Oh, I love it! Hope Chloe Ward it is!"

"And then for Faith how about..." said Ward, flashing her a smile before continuing. "...Jemma? After Simmons."

"Jemma is going to love you for that" smiled Skye. "Faith Jemma Ward is perfect."

"I don't think Jemma's going to love me anytime soon and I don't blame her after what I did to her and Fitz" sighed Ward. "If it wasn't for me Fitz would never have ended up in a coma."

"You did what you had to do to save them, Ward" said Skye, as she glanced at him. "It's like you told Coulson months ago now that when it came down to it then it was between ejecting them into the middle of the ocean where they had a chance of making it or shoot them both in the head. So you ejected them into the middle of the ocean because you thought the pod would float. Even they thought the pod would float, Ward, so don't beat yourself up too much about it."

"It doesn't matter what you say because I'm never going to forgive myself, Skye" sighed Ward. "And that applies to everything that I've done."

"But you can make up for it all" said Skye, smiling softly. "You can start trying to right your wrongs."

"I don't know how, Skye" sighed Ward, as he gently bounced his daughters in his arms when they began to stir, soon rocking them back to sleep again.

"You can start by being the amazing father I know you have the potential to be" smiled Skye, as she happily watched Ward attend to their daughters and rock them back to sleep. "You allow yourself to be the father you always wanted and deserved to have."

"How can I do that from a padded cell?" sighed Ward, as he locked his eyes onto hers. "Coulson will never let me go. And if he ever did then May would declare him completely crazy and hunt me down again."

"You leave Coulson and May to me" said Skye, laughing a little. "I'll vouch for you until I'm blue in the face. I'll get Tripp to help me. We'll get through to them eventually."

"There is another way, y'know..." said Ward apprehensively.

"What is it?" asked Skye curiously.

"We can always just take Hope and Faith and run" said Ward tentatively. "And then we never look back."

"No, Ward, I can't run" said Skye sadly. "I can't just abandon FitzSimmons and Tripp like that. It would kill me to leave them behind and never see them again. It would kill me to leave Coulson and May too despite our issues right now. I know it's only temporary with them and that they are just being way overprotective parents wanting to protect their surrogate daughter from having her heart broken all over again. But I know that I can get them to come around eventually, okay? I know I can."

"And if you can't?" asked Ward, furrowing his brows. "Then what happens?"

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it" replied Skye quietly.

"You know as well as I do that after I leave here that I'm never going to see you or our daughters again, Skye, because the second time around Coulson will make sure of that" said Ward, as he glanced down at the contently sleeping baby girls in his arms. "I never want to leave them now that I've met them. I love them too much to never see them again."

"I knew I should never have told you about them" cried Skye. "I knew this would end badly but I got selfish believing you should meet them. But all it's going to accomplish instead is me raising them alone while you never see them again!"

"So let's run!" said Ward desperately. "Or at least hide out for a little bit!"

"What do you mean?" asked Skye, as she wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

"We find somewhere to hide temporarily that's safe for our girls" explained Ward. "In the meantime we can have Tripp vouching to Coulson for us and doing all that he can for us to raise our daughters together. And then we come out of hiding."

"Do you really think that'll work?" asked Skye.

"It's worth a shot, right?" replied Ward, smiling.

"I don't know, Ward" sighed Skye. "I only gave birth 3 days ago and I'm not sure if the girls can leave the hospital yet."

"If we find somewhere that we can go that's safe then we can just check you and our girls into another hospital under false names" suggested Ward.

"I'm still not sure" said Skye, crinkling her nose in thought.

"Well I for one think that's a pretty good idea" came Tripp's voice from where he now stood in the doorway. "Originally I was all against Ward running. But if you're going to be with him then I'm all for it."

"How long have you been standing there eavesdropping?" asked Skye curiously, furrowing her brows at him.

"Puhlease! I never left!" grinned Tripp. "I've been outside the whole time and listening with my ear against the door."

"Antoine Triplett! That is an invasion of our privacy!" yelled Skye, soon regretting it when she startled both of her sleeping daughters awake.

"Now look what you did!" chuckled Tripp. "I'm sorry, alright? But I couldn't leave you all alone with a traitor, no offense to Ward or anything, because I know he'd never hurt you. But regardless I still couldn't just leave you completely alone with him."

"It's fine, Tripp" said Ward, as he hunched his knees up so he could carefully place Faith across them to lightly bounce her up and down in order to soothe her, while he ever so gently started rocking Hope back and forth in his right arm. "I knew you would still be close by."

"Man, you really are a natural with those babies!" smiled Tripp, as he watched Ward easily rock them both back to sleep again.

"Only because they're mine" smirked Ward, as he turned to face Skye. "So, what's it gonna be?"

"I want you to help me raise our daughters" smiled Skye, her heart practically melting at seeing Ward with their little girls and how easily fatherhood was coming to him. "So, yeah, okay. Let's do it. We'll hide out for a little while. It's not running because we'll be back as soon as we can, right?"

"I promise you, Skye, we'll be back" smiled Ward, meaning every word, as he would never deprive Skye of the family she had come to love forever.

"If you guys are really going to do this then it's now or never" said Tripp. "My car is still out front. I can take you to a safe house of mine far from here where you won't be found until you're ready to be found again."

"Is this safe house close to a hospital?" asked Ward. "Because if there are any problems with any of my girls then I need to be able to get them to a hospital immediately."

"Yeah, man, don't worry, okay?" smiled Tripp. "I'll make sure you guys have everything that you need."

"Thank you" nodded Ward. "I can never thank you enough for all that you're doing for us, Tripp."

"I'm doing this mainly for Skye" said Tripp honestly. "All she wants is to be happy and if that means being with you then so be it. I'm not going to stand in the way of her happiness and I won't let anyone else either."

"You're the best, Tripp!" smiled Skye, as she bounded towards him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you for being such an amazing friend! I love you!"

"I love you too, baby girl" smiled Tripp, as he hugged her back just as tightly. "I look out for my family and when it comes to you and those adorable little girls then as far as I'm concerned you're my sister and they are my nieces."

"Damn straight we are!" smiled Skye, kissing him fondly on his cheek when she pulled away.

"Alright, so let's do this!" grinned Tripp, as he turned to walk out the door. "Get the girls ready as quick as you can and meet me out front. I'll have the car ready and waiting."

"I can't believe I'm doing this" laughed Skye nervously once Tripp had left the room, as she then spun around to face Ward.

"I'm not forcing you to, Skye" said Ward, as he slowly rose from the bed, a baby nestled in each arm. "You can change your mind at any time."

"I'm not going to change my mind" said Skye, taking Faith from his arms and cradling her to her chest. "We're our own little family now. And we're gonna stick together."

"I'm not foolish enough to argue with that" said Ward, as he smiled at her and their two baby girls. He was currently happier than he'd ever been before in his entire life with the woman he secretly loved by his side, one of his daughters sleeping contently in his arms while his other daughter slept contently against her mother's chest.

As far as Grant Ward was now concerned it didn't matter what happened next, as long as they faced it as a family and stayed together against the insurmountable odds that were currently stacked high against them.


	3. Daddy's Little Angels

**Remember how I said this was a 3 shot fic? Well, it's now a 5 shot fic :D I've split this chapter into another part since I felt the second half of this chapter deserved to be one all on it's own, while the epilogue will now also be a chapter on it's own. So, here's chapter 3! Enjoy! ^.^ (Chapter 4 will be posted tomorrow and the 5th and final chapter on Tuesday before the premiere of S2).**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or any of the characters. It would be super cool if I did, but I don't. However, I do own my OC's of Hope Ward and Faith Ward.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Daddy's Little Angels**

_3 Months Later..._

Since they'd decided to flee from the hospital with Tripp's help and go temporarily on the run together with their daughters, at least until Coulson and May had come around to the idea of Ward helping Skye to raise Hope and Faith as a family, they'd since taken refuge in a safe house of Tripp's, with Tripp being the only one to know of it's location. It was customary of all S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to have more than one safe house they could take sanctuary in if ever needed. They were close by to a small town and a hospital should they need one which they'd visited a few times so the girls and Skye could be checked over, to which they'd booked in under fake names, using the middle names of Chloe and Jemma for their girls, since the only other person who knew of their middle names was Tripp. Ever since they'd arrived at the safe house a little over 3 months ago now Tripp had done his best to keep in contact with them via a phone he'd given to Skye that was untraceable. Before leaving he'd made sure they had everything they would need before he'd left to return back to Coulson with the promise he would keep them informed of everything that was going on, as well as the progress he was making in arguing that keeping Ward around was a good idea. He promised them he would do his best to argue that it was not only because Skye wanted him in her life but that Hope and Faith needed him too and deserved the chance to know who their father was.

In those 3 months since they'd been left to their own devices to live together while raising their daughters they'd slowly started to become closer. They weren't exactly together, but then they weren't exactly apart either. Deep down Ward loved Skye more than he believed he could ever tell her and the more time he spent with her the more he believed that deep down she loved him too, despite never telling him. He knew she still cared about him due to how she was around him, stealing little kisses here and there whenever they'd hand their daughters back and forth between them for cuddles. However, she'd at first point blank refused to even kiss him on the cheek until he'd shaved his beard off he'd grown over the months of being locked up, so he was now once again back to the clean cut and shaven Ward he'd always been. But the way he'd seen it was that if shaving was all it took to get even the smallest of fleeting kisses from Skye then he'd make sure he never grew a beard again.

Eventually they'd ended up sharing the same bed at night due to at first sleeping in separate rooms with Hope and Faith residing in Skye's room with her. But after awhile they'd mutually decided that sharing the same room was a lot easier when it came to handling two crying babies, who point blank refused to sleep through the night unless they were constantly cuddled and rocked to sleep in both their mother and father's arms. But even though they shared the same bed nothing more than sleeping side by side when their daughters allowed them too ever happened between them, give or take the odd kiss goodnight Skye would grace Ward's lips with or the kisses of thanks she would fleetingly give him for rolling out of bed to attend to both of their crying daughters and allowing her to sleep just a little bit longer. She was thankful to have him by her side constantly helping her and attending to their daughters while she slept in, since Skye was generally awake during the night more than Ward due to breastfeeding both babies the best that she could, as she'd wanted to breastfeed them over bottle feed.

All in all since going into hiding together they'd slowly started to become closer like they once used to be, but were choosing to take their relationship slowly, while focusing more on raising their daughters and giving them more of their love and attention than each other. Because as much as they both still secretly loved each other deep down they would always love their daughters more, who from now on would always come first.

* * *

"How is it even possible you can soak me in the space of only 3 minutes?!" Skye heard Ward chuckle from the bathroom when she passed it in search of him with Hope cradled to her chest.

"What's going on in here?" laughed Skye, as she came to a stop just outside the bathroom door.

"Oh, nothing" chuckled Ward, as he remained leaning over the bathtub since Faith was nestled into the crook of his arm in her baby bathtub. "I'm just giving Faith a bath since she puked all over herself."

"Yet you seem to have more water on you than our daughter!" laughed Skye.

"Faith is feisty to bathe!" chuckled Ward, as he ducked his head and dodged the splash of water that headed his way, due to Faith suddenly kicking her legs about and causing the water to go everywhere. "She does nothing but kick and thrash about unlike Hope who's a lot more calmer at bath time!"

"Because she no doubt finds it amusing how her daddy is forever ducking and dodging the water!" giggled Skye, as she leaned against the doorframe while rocking Hope in her arms.

"That's because she's definitely got her mummy's cheeky and playful temperament" chuckled Ward softly, as he flashed Skye a smirk over his shoulder.

"Nothing wrong with that at all" grinned Skye proudly. "Especially since Hope is showing more and more signs of having your laid back approach to everything."

"And that's how we've become so good at easily telling them apart" said Ward, as he smiled down at his squirming daughter in her little bathtub. "Though it does help that Faith seems to have my cheekbones."

"While Hope definitely has my nose" smiled Skye, as she lovingly rubbed her nose against her drowsy daughter's.

"Okay then little miss feisty I think we're done here now" smiled Ward, as he gently lifted his daughter out of the water and wrapped her up in a pink fluffy towel. "Time to get you all dry now."

"Do you need any help?" asked Skye, as she smiled at the sight of him pulling faces at their daughter.

"Nope, I'm good" said Ward, as he stuck his tongue out at his daughter while gently placing her over his shoulder to rub a soothing hand up and down her back, while she remained completely snug as a bug in her pink fluffy towel.

"I gotta say that the daddy look really suits you" smiled Skye. "It's pretty hot actually."

"Oh really now?" grinned Ward, as he came to a stop in front of her. "I'll keep that in mind for future reference."

"If that's your way of saying you want another baby then your bang outta luck!" laughed Skye, shaking her head at him. "Because I swear I'm never having more. Giving birth to twins was more than enough."

"Don't all women say no to having more after they've had the first one?" smirked Ward. "Or in our case two in one go."

"I'm telling you now, Grant Douglas Ward, if you ever want another child then you can find a way to have it yourself!" laughed Skye, sticking her tongue out him, as she then turned and set off towards their bedroom to put Hope down for her nap in one of the little white Moses baskets that lay beside their bed.

"Y'know what, little one? I think your mummy is starting to fall for your daddy more and more" chuckled Ward, as he dipped his head and placed a tender kiss atop his daughter's nose, before setting off and following after Skye to get Faith dressed and put down for her own nap.

"So I was thinking once we got them both settled down for their nap that we'd completely chill out in front of the TV and do nothing other than relax until they wake up again" suggested Skye, as she gently lowered Hope into her Moses basket.

"Sounds like a plan" smiled Ward, as he gently placed Faith on their bed. "Will you watch her and make sure she doesn't roll off the bed while I get her some clothes?"

"Sure thing" nodded Skye, as she crouched down in front of their bed to blow raspberries against her daughter's tummy.

"Keep doing that and you'll get her too overly excited she won't go to sleep" chuckled Ward, as he returned to Skye's side with a little pink dress that had a daisy on the front, as well as a pair of little pink socks and a fresh diaper in his right hand.

"You know you can rock her to sleep in mere minutes so relax" laughed Skye, as she then happily sat back and watched Ward dress their daughter. "That dress is so pretty."

"It sure is" smiled Ward, as he slipped the diaper onto his daughter like a pro, soon doing the same with her dress and socks. "A pretty dress for a pretty little Princess."

"You're such a goofball" laughed Skye softly. "I love how you are with our girls."

"Fatherhood is one of the best things that ever happened to me" smiled Ward, as he gently picked Faith up once she was fully clothed and then ever so carefully placed her down into the Moses basket next to Hope's. "Hope and Faith mean everything to me."

"They're daddy's little girls that's for sure" smiled Skye warmly.

"Daddy's little angels and precious Princesses without a doubt" beamed Ward proudly, as he leaned down and placed loving little kisses atop their noses, beaming even more when their eyelids slowly fluttered closed not long after.

"A loving kiss from daddy is all it takes to send them to sleep" sighed Skye contently at the sight before her. "They adore you."

"I adore them" smiled Ward, as he rose to his feet and turned to face her. "I adore their mummy too."

"Good to know" smiled Skye a little shyly, as she graced his lips with a soft, albeit quick kiss. "I kinda adore you too."

"Only kinda?" chuckled Ward softly, as he rested his left hand lightly atop her hip.

"Well, maybe more than kinda-"

_DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING! _DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!__

"Was that the doorbell?" asked Ward, his body instantly stiffening. "No one ever visits us."

"Maybe it's Tripp?" asked Skye, biting down on her bottom lip nervously.

"Tripp would call first before just showing up" said Ward, as he strode around their bed and pulled out an ICER from the small bedside cabinet on his side of their bed that Tripp had given him 3 months ago, since he'd refused to give him a real gun because in Tripp's words _'The last thing you need is anymore blood on your hands, Ward, so an ICER is all you're gonna get from me."_

"Is that really necessary, Ward?" sighed Skye upon seeing the ICER. "I don't particularly want to explain to an innocent person what an ICER is and why you're gonna zap them with it."

"I'm only going to use it if I have too, Skye" said Ward, placing a soft kiss on her forehead, as he then slipped from the room. "Stay here with Hope and Faith and if I yell out for you to run then just grab them and run."

"Sir, yes, Sir" muttered Skye under her breath, while inching closer to her sleeping daughters nonetheless to be on the safe side.

* * *

Tucking the ICER into the back of his jeans Ward slowly made his way towards the front door and peeped through the peephole. He soon breathed a huge sigh of relief when he saw who was on the other side of the door, instantly unlocking it and pulling it open. "Jesus, Tripp! You had me and Skye really worried you were someone else then!"

"Yeah, sorry about that, man..." said Tripp apologetically, as he trailed off and shuffled about on his feet a little. "...I'm really sorry, Ward."

"Hey, don't sweat it" chuckled Ward, as he stepped aside to allow Tripp entry. "Come on in."

Shaking his head and stepping to the side Tripp merely cast Ward another apologetic look before speaking again. "Like I said I'm really sorry, Ward. But I no longer had a choice."

"What are you talking about, Tripp?" asked Ward worriedly, as he instantly reached around his back and grasped a hold of the ICER in his jeans back pocket.

"I wouldn't bother reaching for that ICER, Ward..." said May, as she stepped into Ward's line of vision with her arms folded across her chest. "...because I have a real gun that can do a lot more damage."

"And I'm likely to let her use it on you too..." said Coulson, as he too stepped into Ward's line of vision and stopped beside May. "...but I'd much rather it didn't have to come to that and that you handed over my daughter and granddaughters without any bloodshed."


	4. No More Hiding

**There is one more chapter after this one which will end this little fic of mine, so until then I hope you enjoy this one, which I warn you now is heavy on the angst. :P (I'm not sorry for anything)**

**I just want to say that when it comes to what Skye says about S.H.I.E.L.D./HYDRA/etc in this chapter then that's what I personally believe when it comes to that topic and overall subject, so I chose to have Skye point it out. I would /kill/ for an actual scene like that in S2 where someone actually points out to Coulson &amp; Co. that S.H.I.E.L.D. is basically everything I had Skye point out in this chapter. But that's just me and my own personal opinion. xD**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or any of the characters. It would be super cool if I did, but I don't. However, I do own my OC's of Hope Ward and Faith Ward.**

* * *

**Chapter 4: No More Hiding**

"What makes you think that I would ever let Skye go anywhere with the two of you after what you both put her through while she was pregnant?" asked Ward, almost a growl, as he clenched his fists tightly at his sides.

"Because it's not up to you, Ward" replied Coulson, glaring at him.

"You're right. It's not up to me. Because the only person that decides where Skye goes next is Skye herself" said Ward, as he clenched his fists together even tighter. "And if she doesn't want to go with you and May then I won't let you take her."

"You're in no position to stop us, Ward..." said May, as she slowly inched closer towards him, her hand gripped tightly on her gun the whole time. "...so back down before I make you back down."

"What's the worst that you can do to me? Fracture my larynx so I can't speak for awhile perhaps? Oh, wait a minute, haven't you already done that?" snorted Ward sarcastically.

"Keep being a sarcastic little shit and I'll fracture more than just your larynx next time around!" spat May a little menacingly.

"I dare you to give it your best shot!" said Ward challengingly, as he stepped even closer to her.

"HEY!" snapped Skye, which immediately snapped them both out of their stance to glance over at her. "Quit it! Both of you just stop it, okay?!"

"He started it!" scowled May.

"I did not!" huffed Ward.

"I don't give a damn who started it! But what I do know is that I'm ending it!" sighed Skye, as she walked over towards Ward and gently placed a contently snoozing Hope in his arms to hold.

"Why did you just hand me Hope when she's asleep?" asked Ward curiously, as he happily took his sleeping daughter into his arms, yet wondering why Skye had handed her to him when she'd been sleeping quite happily in her Moses basket back in their bedroom.

"Because if you're holding one of our daughters in your arms then it'll stop May from attempting to kill you the first chance she gets" sighed Skye, as she cast her eyes over towards May. "At least I'd like to think it would."

"Well played, Skye" said May, frowning slightly. "But he can't hold her forever."

"That's what you think" said Ward, as he turned to walk away from everyone and head into the living room. "Because if there's one thing that I never get tired of doing then that's holding my daughters in my arms."

"I guess the three of you better come in" said Skye, as she spun around on her heels and headed for her bedroom to retrieve Faith from her Moses basket too.

When Skye returned to the living room a few seconds later with Faith in her arms she found Coulson and May standing side by side near the fireplace with their arms folded firmly across their chests, while Ward was sitting on the sofa cradling Hope with Tripp sitting beside him. Rolling her eyes at the four of them being as far apart from each other as possible she simply strided over towards Tripp and gently lowered Faith into his arms. "You can hold Faith because I get the feeling that you were forced to bring them here which means they are probably really pissed at you too."

"And by holding Faith it'll stop them from killing me?" chuckled Tripp, as he beamed down at Faith in his arms who was sound asleep.

"Yeah, pretty much" said Skye, as she turned to face Coulson and May and mimicked their stance, soon folding her own arms across her chest. "So, first things first and all. What did you threaten Tripp with in order for him to finally reveal where I was hiding out and bring you right to me?"

"Dishonoury discharge from S.H.I.E.L.D. as soon as it was rebuilt for associating himself with a HYDRA traitor and then conspiring against everything he believes in to spring him from jail, aiding him in the kidnapping of you and the twins and then helping to hide you all afterwards" said Coulson, deadpanned. "As the grandson of a Howling Commando it's nothing he wanted on his permanent record."

"Oh my god! Are you SERIOUS?!" exclaimed Skye incredulously. "You did NOT threaten poor Tripp with all of that!"

"It's not like any of it isn't true" said May, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Actually you'll find that one part of it isn't true and that's aiding in the kidnapping of me and the twins!" snapped Skye. "Because neither Ward nor Tripp kidnapped me. I went willingly and I took the twins with me even more willingly."

"I was afraid you would say that" sighed Coulson, as he rubbed at his temple in frustration.

"You do realise that by threatening Tripp with everything that you did that you now also have to threaten me with the same?" said Skye, quirking a brow at them. "If not worse for that matter. Because at the end of the day I did far worse by having sex with a HYDRA traitor, who by the way was never actually loyal to HYDRA, and then not only did I fall pregnant by him but I willingly went into hiding with him, our children included."

"We're not going to threaten you with anything, Skye" sighed Coulson once more. "I never even meant it when I threatened it all to Tripp. It was just a ruse to get him to bring me and May here."

"Call it putting the fear of God into him if you want" said May, as she then cast her eyes over to where Ward was currently sitting beside Tripp in silence, as they both cradled a baby each to their chests. "Never loyal to HYDRA? Really, Ward? That's what you've been getting Skye to actually believe this whole time? Give me a break."

"I don't care what you think of me, May" said Ward, glaring at her. "But regardless it's true. I was never loyal to HYDRA and I never believed in anything they stood for. I was only ever loyal to Garrett. It was just a means to an end to him by using HYDRA to get what he wanted. I just blindly followed his orders and did as I was told like a good little soldier."

"And look where it got you" scoffed May.

"Sitting on the sofa in a nice looking house while cradling one of my daughters to my chest you mean?" asked Ward, smirking slightly. "I think it got me in a pretty sweet place."

"You won't be saying that when we haul your ass off back to jail and take you far, far away from your daughters" said May, now smirking herself.

"If you do that then you can send me with him" said Skye, arms folded across her chest once more, as she promptly glared at both Coulson and May. "I'm the only one that gets to decide if Ward is a part of Hope and Faith's lives or not. It's not up to you, or Coulson, or anyone else, only me."

"And your decision?" asked Coulson, even though he already knew the answer.

"He's their father and they deserve to know that" replied Skye, as she locked her eyes onto Coulson's. "And he deserves to know them."

"No he doesn't, Skye, not after everything he's done" said May, sighing.

"We all make mistakes in our lives, May, because contrary to popular belief nobody is perfect" said Skye, as she cast her eyes from Coulson's to May's.

"Don't you remember all of the innocent people that he's killed for HYDRA?" asked May, brows furrowed. "He's a murderer, Skye."

"So are you, May" said Skye calmly. "Because at the end of the day you've killed innocent people too, but because you kill for S.H.I.E.L.D. it's therefore acceptable and you get away with it. Ward also killed at times innocent people for S.H.I.E.L.D. and I imagine so have Agent Coulson and Agent Triplett, but none of those innocent lives are ever called into question because it's for S.H.I.E.L.D., and that somehow makes it all better when in actuality it doesn't."

"She's right, y'know?" said Tripp, as he glanced up to face them. "We can't condemn one to be damned for all eternity without condemning ourselves too."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. are the good guys!" snapped May. "We've always been the good guys!"

"But have we really?" asked Skye. "When you truly think about it are we really any better than HYDRA? Or than the military? Or than the army? Or than any other government organization out there? At the end of the day we're all corrupt and we will do anything to justify what we have to do while claiming we're the ultimate good guys, when the truth is we're far from it and the sad thing is we all know it deep down."

"He's completely brainwashed her!" exclaimed May, as she turned to face Coulson beside her. "And by the sounds of it Agent Triplett too!"

"No one has brainwashed anyone" said Ward, avoiding everyone's gaze, as he simply stared down at his sleeping daughter in his arms with eyes full of love and fondness. "We're all simply blind to the truth and we'll all believe whatever we want to believe at the end of the day. After all whatever helps us to sleep at night."

"Enough already!" yelled Coulson, instantly regretting it when he startled both sleeping babies awake. "I didn't mean to startle them."

"Babies tend to wake up easily when people yell" said Ward, as he gently rocked Hope back and forth in his arms while rubbing his nose against hers tenderly in order to soothe her back to sleep again.

Tripp, however, instead decided that pulling funny faces at Faith was a far better way of getting her to go back to sleep again, but all it did instead was make her stare up at him inquisitively with a little look that could easily be taken for her stating that she no doubt thought he was a big silly doofus.

"I can't believe you actually trust him to hold her" muttered May under her breath, as she glared at Ward rocking Hope back and forth in his arms.

"He's her father so therefore I trust him to hold both of our daughters because he'd never hurt them" said Skye, sighing. "I trust him more than I trust you right now. At least I actually let him see his daughters. I imagine if Tripp had never helped me to flee with Ward then you and Coulson would never have let me see him again and deprived two innocent little girls the chance to know their father."

"Can you really blame us?" asked May with a sigh of her own. "Hope and Faith are better off without him and the sooner you realise that, Skye, then the better for everyone."

"Just stop, Mel, because this isn't getting us anywhere" sighed Coulson, as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do me a favour and take a walk outside."

"Excuse me?" said May, quirking a brow at Coulson. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious" sighed Coulson once more. "Just go and wait outside."

"Phil, I-"

"May, just go!" snapped Coulson without meaning too. "Just for a few minutes, okay? Please?"

"Yes, Sir" said May, as stoic as ever, while brushing casually past Skye and disappearing from the living room.

"She's never going to accept him back on the team, Skye" said Coulson once May had left, as he turned to face Skye. "You know that as well as I do."

"I also know it's not up to her at the end of the day" said Skye, as she locked her eyes onto his. "It's up to you if Ward ever comes back to the team or not since you're the Director, no one else."

"What would you do if I say he can never come back to the team?" asked Coulson curiously.

"What can I do?" shrugged Skye defeatedly. "I see now more than ever there's no point in arguing with you. Tripp tried for the better half of 3 months and it obviously got him nowhere. Me and Ward arguing with you too isn't going to make any difference. So there's nothing more that I can do. If you don't want him back on your team then so be it."

"But I do want you back" said Coulson honestly. "The team needs you, Skye. You might not believe me but I do understand everything you said about S.H.I.E.L.D. ultimately being no different to HYDRA at times. But that was the old S.H.I.E.L.D., not the new one. I fully intend to rebuild it much better than the old one. But I can only do that if I have the right people beside me helping me along the way. You're one of those people, Skye. If you want S.H.I.E.L.D. to be better than what it was then come back and help me to rebuild it."

"What about Ward?" asked Skye, as she glanced over to look at him and caught him staring at her with a forlorn look across his face. "Are you going to send him back to jail?"

"No, I'm not" replied Coulson truthfully. "He's free to go. I don't care what he does anymore. I only care about you and those beautiful baby girls who I highly regard as my granddaughters, just like I highly regard you as my daughter."

"So by letting Ward go free means that he can come back to the team too?" asked Skye tentatively.

"No, because he's not welcome back on the team" sighed Coulson.

"I'm not leaving him, A.C." said Skye, sighing deeply.

"You really love him that much?" asked Coulson, eyes narrowed.

"Ye-, uhh, n-, umm..." stuttered Skye, as she avoided Ward's gaze and instead focused on Coulson. "It's got nothing to do with me and Ward but more so Hope and Faith. Our daughters will always come first from now on no matter what. I want him to be a part of their lives just as much as he wants them to be a part of his."

"Meaning you want him to help you raise them..." said Coulson, trailing off, as he glanced over towards Ward where he instantly noticed that Hope had since fallen back asleep contently nestled into the crook of Ward's arm.

"Yes, I do" replied Skye truthfully, as she flashed a small smile in Ward's direction, smiling even more when he smiled back at her.

"If I allow him to come back then it's going to be difficult at times with May and perhaps even at times with FitzSimmons" sighed Coulson, as he slowly started to pace the room while deep in thought. "The only ones that will truly want him around to begin with are you, the twins and I believe Tripp would too."

"I've got no problem at all with Ward returning" said Tripp, as he happily lounged back against the cushions on the sofa with a relaxed and snoozing Faith in his arms. "We all know he had a crappy father growing up and then he went and got himself an even crappier surrogate. So I think it's time he showed everyone that despite the father figures he's been unfortunate to grow up with that deep down and no matter what he can be a much better one to his own children. But I know that he can be because I've seen it with my own eyes countless times already. Hope and Faith deserve to know their father just as much as Ward deserves to know his daughters. I'm not saying give him a second chance with the team but at least give him a chance to prove he can be an amazing father."

"Thank you, Tripp" said Ward, astounded that Tripp was sticking up for him so much.

"I'm sick and tired of all of the fighting" sighed Tripp. "We all need to stop already and just do what's best for Hope and Faith."

"That's what I want more than anything" said Skye, glancing back and forth between them all. "Hope and Faith mean the world to me and I just want what's best for them at the end of the day. And what I ultimately believe is best for them is having both of their parents in their lives who love them unconditionally while we do our absolute best to raise them the best that we possibly can. I'm willing to do it if Ward is."

"You know that I am, Skye" said Ward, smiling, feeling happier than ever that Skye was without a doubt firmly in his corner supporting him in helping her to raise their daughters, while standing up for him in the process more than he knew he even deserved.

"I'll never accept you back on the team as a specialist" said Coulson, as he turned to face Ward. "I've more than enough in May and Tripp."

"I figured as much" nodded Ward.

"That being said I could accept you back as simply Hope and Faith's father and their full time babysitter when Skye returns to active field duty when she's fit and ready, because if I don't at least accept you as my granddaughters father, because like it or not that's what I view myself as to them, then I'll lose Skye along with the girls forever and that's something I never want to happen" said Coulson, flashing a small smile in Skye's direction, happy to see her smiling a small smile back at him. "But other than coming back for your daughters and helping Skye to raise them you wouldn't have any input when it came to missions and rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D. Do I make myself clear, Ward?"

"Crystal clear" said Ward, nodding in understanding. "All I want is to prove that I can be a decent father to Hope and Faith and be there for them as well as Skye however I can be. Thank you, Coulson."

"Before you start thanking me I have one more condition and it's not up for debate" said Coulson, smirking a little.

"What is it?" asked Skye and Ward in unison, making them both share a smile.

"You have to wear a tracking bracelet at all times similar to the one Skye used to wear once upon a time" said Coulson, now grinning slightly. "However, yours won't just monitor your internet activity but also alert me to where you are at all times. You will be prohibited from going into anyone's bedroom with the exception of your own and the one belonging to Hope and Faith, as well as certain command and control rooms around the base. Break that rule and an alarm will go off alerting not just me but Agent May to your immediate location too, who I assure you will not hesitate to incapacitate you before she can blink."

"Ward will be sharing my bedroom since that's where Hope and Faith will be sleeping for the next few months" said Skye, quirking a brow at Coulson to challenge her on the subject. "They currently don't sleep through the night without being rocked to sleep by both me and Ward. So he needs to sleep in the same room as me. Plus, I'm breastfeeding them and that's something that Ward definitely can't do."

"And when they finally settle into a routine and do sleep through the night is he still needed to sleep in your bedroom with you?" asked Coulson, frowning.

"Yes" replied Skye instantly, before grinning. "Because I imagine by then we'll be ready to again start engaging in the act that got me pregnant with twins in the first place."

Tripp couldn't contain his snort upon hearing Skye's obvious attempt at pushing Coulson's buttons and therefore snorted loudly, while Ward shifted in his seat next to him uneasily and wisely avoided Coulson's glare in his direction, because if looks could kill then Ward knew he'd be dead by now.

"But don't worry, A.C., because we'll be extremely careful next time and every time after that" smiled Skye. "I have no plans to have any more babies. Never ever. Because twins are more than enough."

"I couldn't agree with you more" said Coulson, more than glad they agreed on something at least, even though he figured a few years from now she'd probably have changed her mind and they'd have more children. Not that he didn't like the idea of more grandchildren one day in the future, but he'd much prefer it if they had a different father, though he knew that was highly unlikely of ever happening. "Do you agree to wear the tracking bracelet, Ward?"

"I do" nodded Ward. "I'll do anything that allows me to be with Skye, Hope and Faith."

"Don't make me ever regret giving you this chance, Ward" said Coulson warily. "Because if you ever hurt or betray Skye again along with your daughters in any way, shape or form then I won't be giving you any more chances. Because next time you won't even be alive to get another chance."

"I know" said Ward, as he cast his eyes towards Skye and smiled at her, before then doing the same towards Hope and Faith nestled contently in his and Tripp's arms respectively. "I've a lot more to lose this time. So you can trust me when I say that I'll never risk losing any of my 3 girls, because they all mean the absolute world to me and they always will."

"I'm going to hold you to that" said Coulson, as he walked over towards Skye and tenderly kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry for everything that I put you through, Skye. I promise I'll never do it again."

"It's okay, A.C., as I know you were just being a really overprotective father looking out for his baby girl and her own baby girls" said Skye, smiling softly. "But next time tone it down just a little bit and we'll remain on good terms."

"I give you my word that I'll never deny you what you want again" smiled Coulson warmly, as he kissed her forehead tenderly once more before turning to leave the living room. "I'll be waiting outside with May when you're all ready to join us. I promise I'll stop her from attempting to kill Ward while doing my best to keep her mouth shut in the process. Because honestly when it comes to her and Ward then I truly believe they are both just as bad as each other for their combined sarcasm and attitude problems!"

"Ain't that the truth!" chuckled Tripp, as he slowly rose to his feet and handed Faith to Skye. "I'm gonna wait for you guys outside too."

"Thank you, Tripp" smiled Skye, as she cuddled Faith to her chest. "For everything that you've done for us."

"Anytime, baby girl" smiled Tripp, as he kissed her head softly before turning to walk from the room, nodding at Ward as he left.

"It's not going to be easy, y'know?" said Ward, as he rose to his feet and came to a halt in front of Skye.

"I know" said Skye, sighing, as she smiled up at him. "But at least we now get to stay together and raise Hope and Faith as a family."

"That's all I've ever wanted" smiled Ward, as he dipped his head and graced her lips with a soft, light kiss.

"Me too" smiled Skye, as she leaned up on her tiptoes and graced his own lips back with a soft, light kiss of her own.

Pulling back from each other they smiled once more, before glancing down to the baby girl they each held in their arms, each one of them sound asleep without a care in the world and utterly oblivious to the conflict that surrounded them. They knew it wasn't going to be easy and far from plain sailing, but as long as the 4 of them were together then they knew that they could make it through anything, while being the parents to their own children that they'd always wanted for themselves growing up.


	5. Here With You

**I held this final chapter back because I was curious to see how they'd handle Fitz in the S2 premiere just in case I wished to do something a little similar for the FitzSimmons scene in this chapter. But honestly? No way am I doing what the show did. And then when it comes to SkyeWard and just Ward in general? Oh my god. My poor heart right now. I just want to wrap Ward in a blanket, take him home with me and give him the love, care, attention and help that he truly needs. And that's all I'll say on the matter. Other than that episode really hurt, didn't it? :/**

**This chapter is the final one. I might come back to this fic one day when the show gets more painful and I need to throw in a little Hope &amp; Faith (hehe) to be happy again. But then I might not either, because right now this is the end. **

**And last but not least if you expected any new characters to make appearances in this chapter then I'm telling you all now that I need more than one episode to fall for a new person. I'm gonna need at least half the season before I start bringing anyone new into my fics so...I mean hell I never started adding Tripp until after S1 finished, so any new chars (if at all) will be the same.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or any of the characters. It would be super cool if I did, but I don't. However, I do own my OC's of Hope Ward and Faith Ward.**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Here With You**

After leaving the safe house for good and returning back to The Playground base Skye and Ward soon settled into one of the more spacious bedrooms together with their two young daughters, due to them both needing more space than anyone else because of the army of clothes and toys that their daughters soon ended up with.

Upon arriving at the base Ward had immediately been fitted with the tracking bracelet that Coulson had insisted he'd wear at all times so he could constantly monitor his internet activity and wherever he wandered off too, be it on the base or off it, though he'd been specifically instructed to never wander off the base unless he had someone from the team with him at the time and permission to do so from Coulson beforehand. He'd even gone so far as to make sure that it was waterproof so he couldn't even take it off when he was in the shower. When more rules and conditions of wearing the tracking bracelet had come to light Ward hadn't really wanted to wear it anymore, since it had made him feel more and more like a tagged and rabid dog at the end of the day, but he'd ultimately been left with no other choice if he'd wanted to stay with Skye and their two precious little girls that he loved more than anything in the world. So he'd reluctantly held out his arm to Coulson who'd immediately clasped it around his wrist, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as he'd done so, before he'd then walked away so Ward and Skye could attempt to get Hope and Faith down for a nap.

Once he was properly settled at the base Ward mainly kept to himself, as he chose more often than not to spend his time in the bedroom that he shared with Skye, while spending as much quality time bonding with his daughters every chance that he got.

He did his best to stay out of the way of Coulson and May as much as he could, especially May, who had told him in no uncertain terms that she didn't approve of him being back and the only reason she was basically holding back from at least fatally wounding him was because she'd made a promise to Skye that she wouldn't for the sake of Hope and Faith.

When it came to FitzSimmons he saw Simmons every now and then when she'd check on the girls, to which she'd always give him a half smile and engage in very little conversation with him, as she'd keep her distance while being overly wary of being around him when Skye wasn't with him and it was just him and the twins. But at the end of the day Ward couldn't really blame her. He knew that it would take time for them to be how they used to be around each other, especially after what he'd done to her and Fitz. He would always regret what he'd done to them, even though it had been the only way to save them both from ending up with a bullet to their brains courtesy of Garrett if he hadn't. No matter how hard either of them tried to move past what had happened they would always have a constant reminder that they couldn't due to Fitz being left in a coma for a little over 6 months and being left with permanent damage to his cognitive functions. When it came to Fitz he continued to progress on slowly while mainly avoiding Ward and only ever seeing him when he went to see the twins, who he'd only met for the first time after Skye had returned to the base with them. To say Fitz had got the shock of his life when Skye had returned with twin girls would have been an understatement, since he'd never even known she was pregnant due to being in his coma throughout her entire pregnancy, and only waking up after she'd gone into hiding with Ward. But to Skye's relief and happiness he'd immediately embraced having Hope and Faith around the base and had instantly congratulated her on becoming a mother. He'd even rather timidly congratulated Ward on becoming a father, which Ward had appreciated deep down.

The only other person to fully accept Ward being around again other than Skye was Tripp, who continued to support him being back and would help him out with the twins whenever Skye was taking a nap due to being exhausted from getting up constantly through the night to breastfeed both babies, since Ward couldn't help her when it came to that part of their parenting. He'd always get up with her during the night and help however he could regardless, but breastfeeding was definitely something he couldn't help her with. So Skye would disappear to take a much needed nap throughout the day while Ward more than happily attended to their daughters elsewhere around the base, with Tripp normally always joining him and helping him out. As the days went by it was safe to say that Ward and Tripp started becoming a lot closer and quickly developed a strong friendship. Ward had even overheard Tripp arguing with May on more than one occasion that whether she liked it or not Ward would always be around because he was the father of Skye's children and she should just start getting used to it, even going so far as to yell out one day _"Shut up, May!" _and _"Bite me!" _soon following as a witty retort while storming angrily away from her.

Since S.H.I.E.L.D. had fallen Coulson had since turned to others that he could trust to help him rebuild everything be them S.H.I.E.L.D. agents gone rogue, people they'd worked with in the past that they knew to be trustworthy and even the odd mercenary here and there. Some of them now resided at the base with the team, while others only came to help out when needed. Ward was kept away from most of the new people due to never officially meeting them since he was kept away from mission debriefs and permanently banned from all control rooms, offices and any other room that was used to discuss missions and how to bring down HYDRA. Coulson was always instantly alerted every time he got anywhere near them, which only ever really happened when he was on his way to the kitchen that was rather inconveniently near one of the control rooms. He'd normally always at the time have a baby nestled into the crook of his arm while in search of a late night snack hoping that the walk would soothe his whichever fussing daughter he held at the time, therefore Coulson would always let him off with his late night wanderings before leaving. But if it was May that went to check out his late night wanderings she'd remain in the corner glaring at him and watching him like a hawk until he was the first one to walk off instead. Other than that Ward kept to himself and stayed away from all of the new people that had joined the team, while also keeping his daughters away from them as well, since he was very uneasy of having them around people that he himself didn't trust, nor wanted to really try and trust either. Luckily Skye respected his decision to do so and had agreed that Hope and Faith should only remain around the two of them along with Tripp, FitzSimmons, Coulson and May, or at least while they were so young so they didn't have to be introduced to countless upon countless new people that would only pop up every now and then. Even though some of the new team members had asked if they could meet the twins on more than one occasion, with the new mercenary on the team being exceptionally eager to meet them, both Skye and Ward had always refused as kindly as they could.

All in all Ward's return went smoothly, as he did his best to abide by the rules of his tagging bracelet and stuck mainly to Skye, their two little girls' and Tripp's sides. He hoped eventually in time that things would slowly change and get a little bit better with the others, especially FitzSimmons, but he knew it would ultimately take time.

* * *

"Hey there guys" said Ward a little nervously, as he came to a halt just outside of the lab doors that were located in the lower basement of The Playground.

"Ward!" exclaimed Simmons, slightly startled, as she spun around to face him. "What are you doing down here?!"

"I just thought I'd stop by and say hey to you..." replied Ward, as he cast his eyes from Simmons to Fitz. "...Fitz included."

"Oh, okay then..." said Simmons, trailing off to scrunch her nose up a little in thought before speaking again. "...so it's just to say hey to us? You don't need me to check on Hope and Faith or anything?"

"Hope and Faith are napping along with Skye back in our room" said Ward, sighing. He knew coming down to the lab without warning and without his daughters was a bad idea, because unless he had Hope or Faith with him at the time then they barely ever spoke to him. But today he'd wanted to attempt to change that and so here he was. "I really just wanted to say hey and see how you guys were doing lately."

"Hey, Ward" said Fitz quietly, nodding at him a little from where he stood near a small table.

"Right back at you, Fitz" said Ward, smiling a small smile because Fitz acknowledging his presence was a small step at least.

"Yes, right, of course, umm...hey to you too, Ward" said Simmons, still a little nervously. "Why don't you, uh, come on into the lab and talk to us properly instead of, umm, hovering by the door?"

"I'm not allowed in the lab or my bracelet will have a field day. May will then come down to check on what I'm doing all alone with the two of you, so..." said Ward, shrugging, as he slowly trailed off.

"Why aren't you allowed in the lab though?" asked Fitz curiously. "It's not that important of a place compared to other rooms on this base."

"Coulson doesn't want me to know what you guys work on for him" replied Ward, shrugging once more. "As well as wanting to keep me away from you guys altogether after, well, y'know, the last time that we all saw each other not ending on the best of terms and things like that."

"Yes, well, dropping us into the middle of the ocean via a pod wasn't a very friendly thing to do so..." said Simmons, sighing.

"You know I'm sorry for that, Simmons" said Ward sadly. "I'll never forgive myself for doing that to you and Fitz. But it was better than the alternative."

"We know, Ward" said Fitz, sighing also. "The pod was meant to float. Everyone knows that they were designed to float, even you."

"Which is ultimately why you did it, right?" asked Simmons inquisitively. "To give us a fighting chance is what you told Coulson when he asked you months ago."

"I wasn't lying when I told Coulson that" said Ward, as he glanced from Fitz to Simmons. "I meant what I said. Fitz is right, okay? I knew the pods were designed to float so that's why I did what I did to give you both a fighting chance in getting off that plane. It was never meant to sink. If I'd known it would then I would never have done what I did."

"Are you sure about that?" asked Simmons, quirking a sceptical brow at him. "Because like you told Coulson the only other option was to put a bullet in us."

Ward just closed his eyes and swallowed slowly before opening them again to answer her. "I would never intentionally hurt you or Fitz. You're my friends, or at least you were, and I would never hurt you."

"I believe you" said Fitz, smiling a weak smile, but a genuine one nonetheless. "I probably shouldn't, but I do."

"Despite everything that's happened you've always had faith in me" said Ward, smiling a weak smile of his own. "Thank you, Fitz."

"Life is too short to spend it constantly hating people and never forgiving them" sighed Fitz, as he ran a shaky hand through his hair. "Being in a coma for over 6 months kinda helps you come to that conclusion."

"Fitz, I'm so sorry for-"

"It's fine, Ward, it's fine" said Fitz, as he cut him off from finishing with a wave of his hand. "Let's just not go there, okay? What's done is done and we can't take it back. But we can try to move on from it the best that we can."

"You really think so?" asked Ward.

"Yeah, I do" nodded Fitz. "Anything is possible with a lot of work, time and effort after all."

"I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you both" said Ward truthfully. "Even if it takes me years. I'll do anything. I just want you guys back as my friends again one day."

"We're still friends, Ward" said Fitz, smiling widely. "You're trying to be better and everyone can see that deep down. Becoming a father has had a big impact on you so, yeah, you're trying and that's all that matters from now on."

"Thank you, Fitz" smiled Ward. "That means a lot to hear."

"I once told Fitz that he needed to stop clinging to his belief that you were more so the perpetrator and not the victim" said Simmons, as she locked her eyes with Ward's when he turned to face her. "But now I realise that you've simply been a victim that was forced to be a perpetrator all along."

"I could've disagreed anytime I wanted to" said Ward shakily.

"But could you really?" asked Simmons, brows furrowed. "I imagine the consequences would've been far from pleasant."

"I, uh, I don't..." stammered Ward, unsure of how to even finish what he was going to say. Because he'd known better than anyone that if you ever honestly thought about standing up to John Garrett then it was something you just didn't do unless you'd wanted to feel his wrath afterwards.

"Jemma, stop..." said Fitz, as he slowly walked towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "...let's just all stop. Please."

"Okay" nodded Simmons, flashing him a smile. "I'm sorry. I really do want to be able to move past everything. I really am sorry."

"I know it's not going to be easy to go back to the way we used to be but I'm willing to try like I said and I really will do anything" said Ward, smiling at them both. "You have every right to be wary and apprehensive around me for as long as you both want to be. I just hope it won't be forever."

"It won't be" said Simmons, smiling a warm smile at him, as she tentatively reached out and gave his shoulder a small reassuring squeeze. "I promise."

"Me too, Ward" smiled Fitz, as he slowly approached him and patted his shoulder lightly.

"And if Skye trusts you enough to have not one but two children with you then I guess we can learn to trust you all over again too" said Simmons, laughing a little.

"Good things come to those who wait as the saying goes" said Fitz, as he continued to smile.

Ward just smiled back at them both, more than happy that their conversation had gone the way it had, because after all it could have been slightly worse. He knew it would take time for Fitz and Simmons to trust him again like they'd used too, and rightfully so, but he was prepared to do all that he could to prove to them that this time around it was worth it in the end.

* * *

When Ward returned back to Skye he walked into their bedroom to find her awake and sitting back on their bed with their little girls, also awake, lying on her lap and kicking their little legs about. He couldn't help but smile at the cute little sight before him.

"Where have you been?" asked Skye, as she looked up at him when he approached their bed. "I woke up and you were gone."

"I went down to the lab to see FitzSimmons" answered Ward, as he leaned down to kiss her softly with a smile. "I just wanted to attempt talking to them without using Hope and Faith as an excuse."

"How'd that conversation go?" asked Skye curiously, smiling into their kiss.

"Better than what I thought it would, though Simmons was naturally still wary of me" said Ward, as he crawled onto their bed beside her and held out his arms towards her for a baby to cuddle. "It'll take time to mend our broken friendships but we all decided we're willing to work on it."

"I think that's understandable" said Skye, as she carefully lifted Faith from her lap and handed her over to Ward. "Patience is a virtue after all."

"Yeah, I know" said Ward, as he smiled down at his daughter who instantly settled contently into the crook of his left arm, drowsy eyed. "I think lil' miss Faith is sleepy."

"I love how you instantly know I handed you Faith and not Hope" smiled Skye, as she carefully lifted Hope from her lap and cuddled her to her chest, smiling even more when she more than happily nestled into the crook of her own left arm.

"They may be identical twins but it's the little things that allow us to tell them apart" smiled Ward, as he tenderly traced his right thumb across one of Faith's cheeks. "Faith has my cheekbones."

"Hope has my nose" beamed Skye, as she lovingly rubbed her nose against Hope's.

"Faith definitely has your impatient temperament when she's not sleeping and is more alert than what she is now" chuckled Ward, as he flashed a small grin in her direction.

"Hope has your laid back approach to everything and for a tiny baby can easily pull of all of your expressions of feigned ignorance and levels of annoyance and frustration quite well" laughed Skye, while sticking her tongue out at him playfully.

"Both of them have your big, brown, and curious doe like eyes" smiled Ward, as he glanced fondly at both of his half asleep daughters and then to Skye. "I love that they do because they always remind me of you when I look at them."

Skye just blushed at that sentiment before turning to glance down at Hope slowly drifting off to sleep in her arms. "They both have your hair, though I'm kinda hoping that might change more into mine when they get older."

"Faith definitely has my nose" smiled Ward, as he leaned down and ever so lightly kissed the tip of Faith's nose without waking her up.

"I just love that we can tell them apart" sighed Skye contently. "Here's hoping we always can."

"I believe we will" smiled Ward, also sighing contently.

"Do you think you can successfully move Faith from your left arm into the crook of your right without waking her up too much?" asked Skye, smiling. "Because if you can then I'll let you wrap your arm around me so you can be cuddling all 3 of your girls."

"You got it, sweetheart" beamed Ward, as he ever so carefully and gently shifted Faith from his left arm and into his right, beaming even more when she almost instantly nestled herself against him contently with no complaints at being moved.

Skye quickly shuffled closer towards him until she was leaning against his side, her head resting lightly atop his chest and his arm casually wrapped around her shoulders. Smiling up at him happily she then cast her eyes back down towards Hope who was still contently sleeping in the crook of her left arm, while Faith did the same only on Grant's right. As Skye smiled happily at her daughters there was no denying to herself that her and Grant had without a doubt made two very beautiful little girls together.

"So you're definitely one of my girls then?" asked Ward a little quietly.

"I always have been" replied Skye, smiling to herself. "Even when I tried to deny it."

"No regrets about anything?" asked Ward tentatively.

"None at all" said Skye, as she tilted her head towards him and smiled a loving smile at him. "Though I did lie to you after we had sex for the first time. I lied to you afterwards when I told you that I regretted it. Because I didn't regret it and I still don't now, even despite the circumstances around it at the time. I could never regret being with you. Because if I ever truly did then it would mean that I was also regretting Hope and Faith being conceived and our daughters being conceived is something I will never, ever regret happening."

"Thank you for telling me that" smiled Ward softly. "I never believed you regretted it anyway, at least not deep down. I'll admit it hurt to hear and it hurt my pride. But I never truly believed that you meant it afterwards. Either way thanks for clearing that up because I needed to hear it. Conceiving Hope and Faith together is the best thing we've ever done and for as long as I live I'll never regret it either."

"We've finally got the family we've always wanted, Ward" smiled Skye.

"And we'll do anything to keep it" smiled Ward right back, as he then furrowed his brows at her. "Do you think you'll ever call me Grant more over Ward?"

"Do you want me too?" asked Skye, smirking a little.

"I honestly wouldn't mind if you did" said Ward, flashing her a smirk of his own.

"I'll test it out every now and then" said Skye teasingly. "I'm so used to calling you Ward."

"Can I tell you something?" asked Ward slowly, as he swallowed the lump that had been forming at the back of his throat. "Or more so admit something to you?"

"Of course you can" nodded Skye, smiling up at him. "You can tell me anything."

"I love you, Skye" whispered Ward ever so quietly.

"I know you do" smiled Skye, as she sighed deeply.

"I just thought I would officially put it out there and all, y'know?" said Ward, as he did his best to mask the hurt he'd instantly felt at Skye not saying she loved him back. "I just wanted you to finally know."

"Thank you" said Skye simply.

"You're welcome" said Ward, as he glanced down at Hope and Faith rather broken hearted.

Reaching out to him Skye ever so gently tilted his face back towards hers, as she then leaned up carefully so as not to jostle her sleeping daughter and lightly ghosted her lips across his. "I love you too, Grant."

Upon finally hearing her admit the words to him aloud Ward beamed brightly. It took him only a matter of seconds before he'd leaned down and reclaimed her lips with his own, only a little more fierce and passionately this time.

"As much as I love your fierce and passionate kisses we have to stop" said Skye, groaning while doing so, as she then rested her head against his chest to smile up at him. "I'm still not fully recovered from giving birth to twins for anything more than what we both know fine well passionate kissing can lead too."

"Hope and Faith will forever be proof of that!" chuckled Ward, as he kissed her forehead tenderly. "But don't worry as that's not what I was after. You'll let me know when you're ready again."

"Just give me another month or two and after I've got settled on the strongest contraceptive pill in the world, to which there is bound to be one, and then it's all systems go" grinned Skye, as she wiggled her eyebrows at him suggestively. "After all we've got a lot of catching up to do, as well as doing it right the second time around."

"I'm not gonna argue with that" chuckled Ward, as he wrapped his arm tighter around her.

"Are you happy, Grant?" asked Skye, as she stifled a small yawn against his bicep.

"I'm always happy when I'm with you" said Ward, as he smiled tenderly down at her. "You and our girls are my ultimate happy place."

"I'm glad" smiled Skye. "Because you and our girls are my ultimate happy place too."

"You're all I've ever wanted, Skye" said Ward, sighing softly.

"I'm yours, Grant" said Skye, as she kissed him once more, before resting her head back atop his chest. "Always."

"And you? What do you want?" asked Ward apprehensively while smiling down at her.

Upon hearing those words Skye couldn't help but smile fondly at a memory that despite the circumstances around it at the time she'd always view as a happy one, because she'd always believed in her heart that what Ward had admitted to her way back when was always genuine and coming from the real Grant Ward. Turning to look up at him she smiled happily.

"What I want..." said Skye, as she shifted slightly to lean her head against his shoulder and smile lovingly up at him. "...is to stay here with you and imagine the world outside doesn't exist."

And for Ward hearing Skye say the words he'd once said to her made him smile right back at her just as lovingly.

In that moment, with Faith in his arms and Hope in Skye's arms, he knew that this time there was nothing that could ever come between them.

_Because from now on they were going to be okay._


End file.
